Wildfire smoke killed 3,560 people in Indonesia in September, report finds
A Helsinki-based think tank says fire smoke drove most of a 42 percent rise in air pollution deaths, with 58 million people exposed to unhealthy or hazardous air.
At a glance
- Toxic smoke from Indonesia's wildfires killed an estimated 3,560 people in September, a CREA report says.
- Air pollution deaths in Indonesia rose 42 percent, from about 3,740 in August to 5,310 in September.
- A record 58 million people were exposed to unhealthy to hazardous air; Jakarta defended its fire response.
Toxic smoke from Indonesia's wildfires killed an estimated 3,560 people in September, according to a report released Thursday by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).
The Helsinki-based think tank found that air pollution-related deaths across Indonesia rose 42 percent that month, climbing from about 3,740 in August to 5,310. Fire smoke accounted for 3,560 of those deaths, while chronic pollution from urban and industrial sources not linked to the fires caused a further 1,750.
Worst-hit regions
In Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo, and on Sumatra, the two areas most affected by the fires, smoke was responsible for the overwhelming share of air pollution deaths: 94 to 99 percent in Kalimantan and more than 80 percent on Sumatra. On the southern island of Java, deaths remained largely tied to urban and industrial emissions rather than the fires.
CREA also reported a record number of people breathing dangerous air. It said 58 million people were exposed to air quality rated from "unhealthy" to "hazardous" in September, the highest level recorded. In Kalimantan alone, the number of residents inhaling hazardous-level air nearly tripled, from 2.8 million to 6.4 million, on the worst days of the month.
Regional smog and government response
The fires have been driven by severe drought during an El Nino weather pattern. They have caused deforestation and spread toxic smog across the Southeast Asian archipelago, while also raising pollution levels in neighbouring Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and East Timor.
Jakarta has faced growing criticism over its handling of the crisis. On Wednesday, the government defended its response, saying it had sent more than 72,000 people to carry out cloud-seeding and firefighting operations, activated more than 2,100 doctors and health workers in hard-hit areas, and distributed 5.3 million masks.
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- How many people died from wildfire smoke in Indonesia in September?
- A report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air estimated that toxic fire smoke caused 3,560 deaths, part of 5,310 total air pollution-related deaths that month.
- Which parts of Indonesia were worst affected by the fires?
- Kalimantan on Borneo and Sumatra were worst hit. Fire smoke caused 94-99 percent of pollution deaths in Kalimantan and over 80 percent on Sumatra, while Java's deaths were mainly linked to urban and industrial sources.
- What has Indonesia's government done about the fires?
- Jakarta defended its response on Wednesday, saying it deployed more than 72,000 people for cloud-seeding and firefighting, activated over 2,100 doctors and health workers, and distributed 5.3 million masks.
